Pellegrini to decide on De Bruyne fitness for PSG

Manuel Pellegrini has insisted that fit-again Kevin de Bruyne is not an automatic selection for Manchester City's Champions League quarter-final first leg at Paris St Germain.

Belgium forward De Bruyne transformed City's attacking threat in spearheading Saturday's 4-0 thumping of Bournemouth, in his first game since late January after ligament trouble.

The 24-year-old was deployed just off Sergio Aguero but spent much of the Vitality Stadium encounter operating almost as a false nine, creating acres of space for City's roaming striker, and also playmaker David Silva.

City boss Pellegrini remains adamant De Bruyne must be reassessed before being cleared to face PSG, but there can be little doubt the former Chelsea man will feature in Paris on Wednesday night.

"We are going to see, because now we can start preparing for that game," said Pellegrini, when asked if De Bruyne will be ready to take on PSG. "There wouldn't be any risk to play him again so soon, because it was not a muscle injury.

Assess

"But we've seen the way he played at Bournemouth and now we have to see how he recovers. We'll assess that and then decide. Of course it's a boost that he's in contention though, because he's a very important player."

De Bruyne scored City's second goal with the move of the match, sweeping home a side-footed volley after Silva had laid off Aguero's lofted pass.

Fernando and Aguero struck for City either side of De Bruyne's gem, to leave City 3-0 up inside 20 minutes and coasting to victory.

Aleksandar Kolarov rifled a fourth with the last action of the match to cap a damp squib of a second-half, such was City's dominance. Pellegrini claimed he was not surprised by De Bruyne's rapid impact: "I was sure that he was going to return the same way that he finished before his injury."